Inauguration brings different kind of gridlock to D.C.

Story highlights

Dozens of streets in Washington will be closed for inaugural ceremonies

Tickets are required to see the ceremonies up close, while the National Mall is open for the general public

The Secret Service is leading more than 40 agencies to handle security and transportation

Inaugural day weather is expected to be cool with a low of 26 degrees and the day's high to reach 37

The morning Thomas Jefferson was sworn in as the nation's third president, he declined the seven horses and two carriages that were ready to ferry him from his boarding house to the Senate chamber where he would take the oath of office.

Instead, Jefferson walked, followed by congressmen and onlookers, according to the U.S. Capitol Historical Society.

Security at President Barack Obama's second inaugural on Monday, however, will be significantly tighter.

Police will shut down dozens of downtown Washington streets and close major arteries into the city. Parking will be even tighter than usual. Bags will be inspected and tickets will be required to get close to the ceremonies.

The inauguration weekend National Special Security Event will have the Secret Service leading a web of agencies pulling together security and transportation to handle the throng expected to see Obama take the oath of office on Monday at noon.

The Secret Service, Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, Capitol Police and Park Police are shutting down major and minor roads alike around Capitol Hill, where the ceremony will take place.

They are securing the National Mall, for more -- standing room only -- viewing of the ceremony, and they are policing the parade route, where onlookers will gather to watch floats, bands, and the president travel the approximately two-mile route up Pennsylvania Avenue.

Memorial Bridge, which connects the Virginia side of the Potomac to Washington near the Lincoln Memorial, will be open to foot traffic only.

Tickets are required to see the ceremonies up close on the Capitol grounds, while the National Mall is open for the general public.

It will be standing room only on the Capitol grounds -- the Secret Service says no lawn chairs, nor umbrellas or signs will be allowed -- and the lengthy list of banned items includes aerosol spray, air horns, coolers, glass, hand tools, laser pointers, pepper spray, strollers, and thermoses.

Banned from most secure areas are items like backpacks, pets and weapons.

"We hope and plan for and anticipate a safe and secure inauguration, one that will be memorable and historic," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said.

Those lucky enough to get a viewing spot along the parade route can expect the gates to open at 6:30 a.m. -- more than five hours before Obama takes the oath. Lines for these venues can be expected to form even earlier.

The National Weather Service predicts the Monday morning low to be 26 degrees and the day's high to reach 37. There is a 30% chance of snow showers.

Officials will allow spectators to hold signs -- with certain restrictions, including size -- along the parade route.

With a number of roads closed, access to and from the downtown area will be largely by public transportation. Authorities are preparing screening checkpoints at the ceremony and along the parade route and deploying a variety of special units to handle any situation that could arise.

"We will have our SWAT team, pretty much all of our specialty teams will be available and on standby to include (weapons specialists), our dive team, our intelligence team -- working around the clock -- our hostage negotiators, (and) our special agent bomb technicians will also be available, so pretty much all of our specialty teams will be available," acting assistant FBI Director Debra Evans Smith told reporters.

"There's always chatter on any given day and we are always looking at that and vetting it but currently there are no credible threats to the events," Smith added.

President Barack Obama said Monday in his inaugural speech that the nation must come together to meet the challenges of the day, saying: "We are made for this moment, and we will seize it - so long as we seize it together."